Film processing apparatus



June 18, 1946 H, SMITH, R 2,402;45s

FILM PROCESSING APPARATUS Filed May 23, 1945 Patented June 18, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

Application May 23, 1945, Serial No. 595,433

3 Claims. 7 1

This invention relates to apparatus for processing photographic film in strips,

The principal objects of the invention are directed to the provision of apparatus for removing water from lengths or strips of film and is accomplished by directing a stream of air transversely onto and across the film. I

In the processing of strip film, particularly long lengths thereof, considerable difiiculty is experienced in removing the water therefrom after the washing of the strip. That is, water is inclined to settle on the film in drops which results in spotting and is very objectionable particularly in the narrow widths of film from which enlargements are ordinarily made. I

According to this invention, long lengths of strip film are carried in a reel and a thin stream of air is directed onto and transversely of the film to blow drops of water therefrom and thereby to obviate the possibility of spots and at the sametime bring about drying of the film. With the foregoing and various other novel features and advantages and other objects of my invention as will become more apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more particularly pointed out in the claims hereunto annexed and more fully described and referred to in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the apparatus embodying the novel features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the standard for supporting the film reel;

Fig. 3 is a sectional'elevational view on the line 33 of Figure 1;

Fig. 4 is a partial inverted plan View of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional plan view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawing more in detail, the invention will be fully described.

A supporting structure is represented by 2 which may be in the form of a box having upper side and end walls 4, 6 and 8 with a closure I0 for the lower side thereof.

A standard I4 is provided which includes an inner tubular member I6 that is supported by a flange I8 secured to the upper wall 4. The inner member i6 is provided with a relatively wide opening as at l8 and an outer sleeve member 20 is rotatable on the member I6 and is provided with a relatively narrow longitudinal slot 22. A journal 24 is carried by the member I6 for supporting a film strip reel such as 26.

The slot 22 is narrow so as to direct a thin stream of air therefrom and the sleeve being rotatable on the member I6 the stream of air may be directed in various directions.

The reel in the form of the invention being described, includes side portions spaced apart on a hub 28. The side portions are alike and have radially disposed outer ribs 30 to which are secured spirally arranged members 32 which may be formed from wire with the convolutions thereof spaced apart to receive the edges of a film strip,

The two such spiral and rib constructions which are associated with the hub in spaced relation as shown in Fig. 3 are arranged so that a film strip is supported by its edges between the convolutions of the spirals with the convolutions.

of the film strip spaced apart.

' The film is loaded into the reel prior to processing and after development, fixing and washing the reel is mounted on the journal 24 and may rotate thereon.

A blower 40 is disposed within the cabinet and it may be driven by a motor 32 directly connected thereto in the well known manner. The discharge of the blower is connected in some suitable manner as by a sleeve 44 to the member IS. A fan or any other suitable means may be employed for circulating air upwardly through the member I6 and preferably at some velocity.

The closure I0 is provided with an opening therethrough which is closed by suitable screening or filtering material such as fabric, woven wire or whatever may be desired for filtering out dust and the like from air to be drawn into the cabinet by the air propelling means.

The member I3 being rotatable on the member I6 as it is, air may be discharged at any angle onto the reel. The slot 22 thereof is arranged so that a thin stream of air is directed onto the reel radially thereof and covers at least one half the diameter of the reel.

The air directed from the slot 22 passes through and between the convolutions of the film strip in the reel so as to blow Water therefrom and particularly water in the form of drops. The member 20 may be positioned so that air directed from slot 22 will act on the members 30 of the reel and bring about rotation of the reel on its journal.

Thus not only is air directed onto the film strip but also it may slowly rotate the reel whereby in the rotation of the reel the entire film strip passes through the stream of air. In that way, water is eliminated by being blown from the strip not only to eliminate drops of water which cause spotting but to facilitate the rapid and uniform drying of the strip.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the essential characteristics thereof. Hence, the present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects merely as being illustrative and not as being restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all modifications and variations as fall within the meaning and purview and range of equivalency of the appended claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What it is desired to claim and secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Apparatus of the class described comprising in combination, supporting means, a hollow standard extending upwardly therefrom having a journal extending outwardly adjacent its upper end, means for delivering air into the lower end of said standard, said standard having a longitudinally extending slot in a side thereof below said journal, a sleeve on said standard having a relatively narrow longitudinally extending slot in a side thereof and being rotatable on the standard whereby a relatively thin stream of air may be directed therefrom in various directions, and a reel on said journal having spaced sides formed from spirally arranged members having spaces between the convolutions thereof for engaging the edges of strip film and supporting the same in spiral formation, all adapted and arranged whereby a thin stream of air may be directed transversely of a strip of film in said reel.

2. Apparatus of the class described comprising in combination, supporting means, a hollow standard extending upwardly therefrom having a journal extending outwardly adjacent its upper end, means for delivering air into the lower end of said standard, said standard having a longitudinally extending slot in a side thereof below said journal, a sleeve on said standard having a relatively narrow longitudinally extending slot in a side thereof and being rotatable on the standard whereby a relatively thin stream of air may be directed therefrom in various directions, and a reel on said journal having spaced sides formed from spirally arranged members having spaces between the convolutions thereof for engaging the edges of strip film and supporting the same in spiral formation, all adapted and arranged whereby a thin stream of air may be directed transversely of a strip of film in said reel, and said reel provided with outwardly extending radially disposed members on a side thereof adjacent said standard adapted to be impinged by a stream of air directed thereonto from the slot in said sleeve to bring about rotation of the reel.

3. Apparatus of the class described comprising in combination, supporting means, a hollow standard extending upwardly therefrom having a journal extending outwardly adjacent its upper end, means for delivering air into the lower end of said standard, said standard having a longitudinally extending slot in a side thereof below said journal, a sleeve on said standard having a relatively narrow longitudinally extending slot in a side thereof and being rotatable on the standard whereby a relatively thin stream of air may be directed therefrom in various directions, and a reel on said journal having spaced sides formed from spirally arranged members having spaces between the convolutions thereof for engaging the edges of strip film and supporting the same in spiral formation, all adapted and arranged whereby a thin stream of air may be directed transversely of a strip of film in said reel, said supporting means being in the form of a cabinet having an opening in a side thereof provided with air filtering means and said air delivering means including a motor driven air impeller in said cabinet.

I-HNSDALE SMITH, JR. 

